SACTWU PROTEST ACTION OVER JOB LOSES

Issued by: Congress of South African Trade Unions

13 February 1996

SACTWU PROTEST ACTION OVER JOB LOSES - 14 FEBRUARY 1996

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a process of mobilisation
against job loses in this country. COSATU supports the decision of
the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union to take
action to save thousands of jobs that are being lost in the clothing
and textile industry.

The protest is directed at securing government support to save
jobs threatened by trade liberalisation related policies. Over the
last five months, 12 thousand jobs were lost in the industry. The
union studies show that about 100 000 jobs would be lost over the
next six years.

The action tomorrow will highlight the failure to date to
support training and social adjustment programmes for workers prior
to the trade liberalisation programme being put in place.

COSATU call on the government to:

investigate the ongoing custom fraud which is taking place in the
custom excise.

Prosecute companies and individuals participating in or
benefiting from fraudulent imports.

Back up the customs and excise function of government through the
12 point plan agreed to by the National Economic Forum in 1993.

Commit its self to promote the inclusion of social clause in the
International Trade Agreement.

Ensure that bilateral trade agreement which grant preferential
access to South African markets comply with the following
requirements

local jobs are not be sacrificed

Worker rights are to be promoted through formal social clause
agreements

The content of the agreement to be jointly agreed by the key
stakeholders nationally not unilaterally by government.

South Africa cannot afford policies which destroys our
manufacturing capacity, which promotes joblessness and substantial
human misery. COSATU calls on the public and consumers to back the
SACTWU call for action. We further call on workers and the public to
save jobs and help to create jobs in South Africa by purchasing
local made clothing.